Issue 71: Your Next App will be a Good Friend
500 Words is a publication of FutureX.Studio.
TOP OF MIND
Tamagotchi are virtual pets that hit peak popularity in the late 1990s. You picked up a handheld device to play with, feed, and meet your Tamagotchi's needs. This widespread human-machine love relationship was the first of its kind. And the love endures: As of June 2023, more than 91 million Tamagotchi have been sold worldwide.
The next generation of virtual friends are going to be smarter than Tamagotchi. They will be life-sized sexbots, friendbots for platonic relationships, and nursebots to keep older adults company. There will be teacherbots to tutor young children.
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